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Educational Tours

WELCOME TO THE TWINS LEARNING THROUGH BASEBALL EDUCATION TOUR

Our education experience combines a tour of Target Field with educational instruction in a number of areas. The structure of the experience can be adjusted according to the levels and needs of the participating students and their teachers. All Twins Learning through Baseball experiences will incorporate the beauty of Target Field with well organized tours, a knowledgeable staff, and a well designed curriculum.

The Architecture of Target Field
Build it and they will come! After many years indoors at the Metrodome, the Twins knew what they wanted: an outdoor, Minnesota baseball park. By all measures, they succeeded. In its first year, Target Field received many awards for its beautiful design and the high-quality fan experience. In The Architecture of Target Field, tour the ballpark with its engineering and design issues in mind, learning about its site, its materials, its architects and builders, its structure, and its function.

Levels: Primary to adult

Format: Theme-based tour

Art at Target Field
Target Field is a great place to see a baseball game, and it is also a wonderful place to see art. From the spectacular wind veil and portrait sculpture in Target Plaza to paintings and drawings on the suite level, the spaces at Target Field are filled with many examples of the visual culture of baseball. Art at Target Field sessions guide groups through the ballpark to see the art, with optional sketching and drawing activities along the way.

Levels: Primary to adult

Format: Theme-based tour

Baseball On The Bench: Scorekeeping 101
"Keeping the book" has been a part of baseball all along. This class is a must for all players, parents, coaches, and anyone interested in keeping score. In addition to a tour of Target Field, the class will involve an inside look at and a demonstration of scorekeeping. What a lot of people realize is that the information kept in the scorebook can help the coach and players with strategies in the game. For example: "where did that hitter hit the ball last time," and "how many pitches has he thrown," and "what did they do in this situation last time?" Keeping score effectively can help players learn about baseball and keep their focus on the game.

Levels: 4th grade to adult

Format: Theme-based tour and Power Point enhanced instruction.

Environment and Sustainability
It's not just the grass that's green! At Target Field, sustainability and environmental stewardship are important elements of building design and operations. Target Field achieved Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program, and it is the highest-ranked LEED-certified major league ballpark. Target Field leads the way in transit, water use, and recycling. In the Environment and Sustainability tour, learn how LEED credits fit at Target Field and how the ballpark meets the many environmental challenges of a sports facility.

Levels: Primary to adult

Format: Presentation with optional tour

Heroes of Baseball: Who are your heroes?
Take a walking tour of Target Field and examine the lives and gifts of some of baseball's most iconic figures. People who not only changed the game, but also changed our society. Included in the "Learning Through Baseball" tour will be the role of women in baseball as well as the contributions and sacrifices made by notable Native American, African American, and Latin American players. Key historical personalities such as Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, "Chief" Bender, Willie Mays, Ted Williams and Babe Ruth will be highlighted. A study guide will be provided to students along with a viewing of historical film clips in a classroom setting and a discussion in the Herb Carneal Press Box. Our education staff will guide students through the visiting clubhouse, the dugout and many other points of interest throughout the home of the Minnesota Twins.

Levels: 4th grade to adult

Format: Theme based tour and video enhanced instruction

The Katie Casey Tour: Women in Baseball History
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is certainly baseball's best-known song, and it is often called the sport's anthem. Sung by millions of fans every season, it is a familiar part of the baseball experience. Few of the people who sing the song know more than the refrain, and so very few fans know that the song is about Katie Casey, a fictional female fan from the turn of the twentieth century. Because of the near universal familiarity with her song, we'll use Katie as a window through which to view the many and varied roles of women in baseball history, from the sport's emergence as a modern American game in the mid-nineteenth century to the present, and considering a variety of roles, from players at all levels of the game (and related games, like kitten ball, diamond ball, and softball) to fans and spectators, to team owners and executives, with many examples from Minnesota and from Target Field.

Levels: Primary to adult

Format: Theme-based tour and optional slide presentation

The Language of Baseball

A look at how baseball enters our life through the language that we speak, read and write. Baseball idioms will be explored, and visualization of the sights, smells, sounds and emotions of the game will be brought to the forefront. What is it like to be in the clubhouse after a win or a loss? How about a "call" from the pressbox? Baseball sign language will also be explored. Some of the greatest stories in American literature and most common phrases in American language come as a result of the game of baseball. So explore Target Field, and "hit one out of the park" with students as they "step up to the plate" to learn and write about the game that we call "America's Pastime."

Levels: 4th grade to adult

Format: Theme based tour and hands on activities

Mathematics at Target Field

It all adds up! Target Field is a great place to learn about Mathematics. From scoring to batting averages to geometry around the diamond, baseball and mathematics go hand in hand. In Mathematics at Target Field, learn and apply mathematical concepts through fun and engaging lessons and activities during a tour of the ballpark.

Levels: Primary to High School

Format: Theme-based tour

Science at Target Field

The game of baseball is loaded with the principals of science. Target Field, with its energy efficiency and fan friendliness enhances the Learning through Baseball science curriculum. In this tour and class, participants will learn about the energy efficiency of Target Field, the physics and science of baseball, and much more. There will be hands on activities geared toward the standards set up by the MN state standards. Students will work both independently and collaboratively to determine how science plays a major part in America's national pastime.

Levels: Primary grades to adult

Format: Presentation with tour

Sports Marketing

Your group can learn about the many career opportunities in the world of sports. Hear first-hand from the Twins staff what it takes to find a job in your favorite sport and what off-the-field positions are available. Discuss marketing strategies specific to sports with one of our marketing staff or visit with one of our trainers about sports training jobs. Great for High School or College level students.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER

Learning though Baseball tours will be a partnership between the classroom teacher and our trained professionals. We can coordinate with your specific needs to make the Learning through Baseball experience support what you are doing in the classroom. Tour and classroom experiences will consist of a 75 minutes of touring the ballpark and 50 minutes of classroom re-enforcement of the subject. Some topics are presented at a variety of locations throughout the ballpark. Target Field is the perfect venue in which to excite students and blend baseball and learning.

Education tours can be scheduled on any non-game day, and reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. To provide the best experience for our guests, we will try to limit class size and in some cases split larger groups into separate tours and classes.

Tours are wheelchair accessible, and complimentary wheelchairs are available upon request. Specific tour routes are established each day based on events and activities in the ballpark, therefore all sites on the tour are subject to current availability. To book an education tour or to get more information regarding Minnesota guideline classes and workshop activities contact Rick Olson at (612) 659 - 3877 or education@twinsbaseball.com.

Tour Prices:

Tour Prices

Tour Type

Price

Learning through Baseball Tour 2 to 2 ½ hours

250 for up to 25 guests or $10 per person for groups larger than 25

YOUTH TOURS

Create a magic moment for your class, youth organization, birthday party or any children's group by bringing them on a tour of Target Field! These specialized tours give your group a chance to see the home of the Minnesota Twins, as well as the behind-the-scenes areas not normally visited by fans during a major league baseball game. These tours are also customized based on the ages of the youth to provide the best possible experience at the ballpark.

Youth tours can be scheduled on any non-game day, and reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. To provide the best experience for our guests, tours are limited to 25 per tour. Groups larger than 25 are always welcome, but will be split into multiple tours of no more than 25.

Tours are wheelchair accessible, and complimentary wheelchairs are available upon request. Specific tour routes are established each day based on events and activities in the ballpark, therefore all sites on the tour are subject to current availability. To book a youth tour, contact Rick Olson, tour guide coordinator at (612) 659 - 3878, or at RickOlson@twinsbaseball.com.